League is Cosmos priority – Sono

2012-04-10 11:45

Jomo Cosmos are directing all their energy into their league campaign as they fight to avoid the relegation drop.

Cosmos coach Jomo Sono said they were left with no choice but to field an understrength team in the Nedbank Cup this weekend after a 2-1 loss to Orlando Pirates last night left them flailing four points behind Santos at the bottom of the Premiership standings.

They face SuperSport United in the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals in Polokwane on Sunday.

“To be honest, we might even field a second-string side in the Nedbank, because that’s not our priority,” Sono said.

“Our priority is to stay in the [top-flight] league and get the players who are injured, like Mark Haskins, fit so we can compete in the league.

“We are looking to bring in three players, but we won’t bring them to play in the Nedbank Cup.”

Cosmos would have felt robbed of a point after Rudolf Bester scored a stunner from long range to wrestle the win for Pirates in injury time.

Sono, however, said his experience in difficult situations would help his side overcome their latest in a series of setbacks.

“It’s going to be difficult for the next two days to lift them up, but with the experience I’ve got from being around for so many years, I think I will lift them up for the next seven [league] games,” he said.

“We fought hard. I only feel for the players, I don’t feel for myself.

“I feel for my players because it’s them who are dying out there.

“It’s them who are putting all the effort out there and when that goal went in, I saw their faces.

“In my career as a footballer I’ve had so many hard knocks, so I don’t have any place where I can take a knock.”

Sono insisted his squad still had some fight left in them after many had already condemned them to relegation.

“People are saying already we are gone, but I don’t think Cosmos is gone,” he said.

“The teams we are fighting with at the bottom, they still have to play us, and I don’t think most of the teams would like to play us because of the way we are playing.”